CHUA IS NEW BARANGAY GINEBRA SAN MIGUEL HEAD COACH

Officials of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ballclub effected a major change in the team at the start of the new year Tuesday, tapping consultant Alfrancis Chua to be the team’s new head coach in lieu of Siot Tanquingcen.

The team management made the decision as the team underperformed and underachieved in the last four conferences under Tanquingcen.

“Yes, pahiyang,” said Robert Non, the league board chairman representing Ginebra, in confirming the news.

“Siot will be the first assistant which is the role of Alfrancis at present. We’ve done that before and positive naman ang result,” said Non.

“It’s a continuing process for the improvement of our teams,” said Non of the process that they also undertake in the other SMC teams, namely Petron Blaze and San Mig Coffee.

The management obviously wants to take a different approach and hope to regain winning ways with the coaching change.

Chua is not new to head coaching jobs in the PBA, having assumed the position in the defunct Tanduay and Sta. Lucia Realty teams.

A former Letran Squire and UST Tiger, Chua was a multi-titled coach with the Asia Brewery Inc. franchise in the PBL, gaining a reputation as a “players’ coach.”

He sat beside coach Norman Black at the Sta. Lucia bench as the Realtors bagged their first championship in the pro league in the 2001 Governors’ Cup.

Tanquingcen has three PBA crowns under his belt but has not won since the 2008-09 season when he steered the San Miguel Beermen to the Fiesta Conference championship.

Despite the addition of new talents, Tanquingcen failed to lead Ginebra past the quarterfinal round of the current PBA Philippine Cup.

In his first season after reassuming the head coaching job at Ginebra last year, the Kings settled for sixth place in the Philippine Cup before improving to third in both the Commissioner’s and the Governors’ Cups.

The Kings fared better in the previous year under coach Jong Uichico, finishing third in the first conference, second in the second confab and fourth in the third and final conference.

Ginebra has been without a crown since the 2007-08 Fiesta Conference, ruling the tourney with Chris Alexander as import under Uichico. (SB)

SOURCE: PBAinquirer